


The Handyman Can

by bar2d2s



Category: The Flash (Comics)
Genre: Gen, post-Rogues' Revenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-10
Updated: 2015-11-10
Packaged: 2018-04-30 22:58:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5182805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bar2d2s/pseuds/bar2d2s
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Axel is surprisingly good at household maintenance, even if his decoration skills are still shit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Handyman Can

It’s not until they’ve been back in the hideout for a few days, after taking care of their little Inertia problem, that the other Rogues notice something. 

“What did you do?” Len demands, cornering Axel in their makeshift kitchen. To his credit, the kid doesn’t cower. 

“Nothing! Recently. Wait, why? What d'you mean?” The older man sweeps an arm around the room. “Oh, yeah, put in a microwave oven, sorry. A guy’s gotta eat, yeah?” Len rubs the bridge of his nose. 

“Not the kitchen, idiot. This place, it’s not drafty. And all the lights work. And it looks like we grew a laundry room. What the hell happened?!” The slight fear in Axel’s eyes turned to confusion. 

“Well, I plugged up all the holes with caulk and drywall and stuff, rehung that one window that was always falling open at night, changed a few bulbs, oh, and I fixed the leaky sink ‘cause the drip sounds spookier when you’re all alone and- wait. Are you…mad about this?" 

Len’s frown somehow grew frownier, to match the state of his annoyance. "This is a hideout, Axel, not a bed and breakfast.” Axel gestured at the microwave. 

“You shittin’ me? We don’t even have the  _ability_  to make breakfast! At least now I can toast up some bagel bites after a job!" 

Their little yelling match drew Mark out of his self-imposed exile, Evan curiously leaning out of the dull shine of the fridge door. Mick was nowhere to be found, though the other day he’d said something about sleeping for a week, so it wasn’t entirely unusual. 

"I don’t exactly miss the wind whipping through here in the middle of the night.” Mark said quietly, his arms crossed over his chest. “And when I do, I can make it happen." 

"An’ it’s nice to not have ta rely on Gambi to get our clothes done up right.” Evan added, reaching out to rub his knuckles on Axel’s scalp. “Plus that drip was drivin’ me loony, going off at all hours. The kid done good, I think." 

Axel tried not to beam, but the sudden heaping of genuine praise after months of surrounding himself with men too intimidated to do anything other than agree with him was intoxicating. Len grunted, swinging open the fridge door to grab a beer as Evan cussed, clinging to the side. "Who helped you?" 

The youngest Rogue blinked. "I did it myself? I mean, my boys helped me lug in the washer and dryer, but aside from that, all me.” The bottle stopped before it hit his lips, Len quickly glancing down at Axel. 

“Seriously?” Now it was Axel’s turn to grunt, folding his arms so quickly he accidentally punched himself in the chest. “You did all this alone?" 

"I’m not  _stupid_ , Len. Building stuff, fixing stuff, it’s kinda what I do. J- the tricks I stole? Those ran out a long time ago, way before I hooked up with you. It was learn to replicate 'em or die, man.” Len hummed, taking a small sip of his beer. He didn’t say it out loud, but he was impressed. “I’m a high school dropout, yo, not a flunk out. That shit was too easy, and I like a challenge." 

There was a minute’s silence in the room as Len deliberated. Finally, he slapped a heavy hand down on Axel’s shoulder. "Guess we know who to call next time the sink’s clogged. Keep up the good work, kid." 

Axel didn’t bother to hide his grin as he ran out of the room. If Len liked the additions before, he was going to  _love_  the new security system.


End file.
